The human edge: Skills that will never be automated

There’s no question that AI and automation are transforming how we work. From chatbots and generative AI to predictive tools, technology is helping organizations to speed up tasks, draft content, and make more informed decisions. Essentially, it’s helping businesses accomplish more with less.

So, where does that leave us? You know, the humans.

The truth is, no matter how quickly technology evolves, the most valuable traits found in any organization are human ones. Sure, AI may be efficient, but it can’t build trust, feel empathy, connect, or think creatively as people do.

Let’s explore what can give your organization an advantage in a world that’s becoming increasingly digital and learn how you can sharpen your skills to stay relevant.

What is the human edge?

It wasn’t that long ago that the most successful employees would stand out because of their ability to analyze data or optimize processes. Now, those same tasks can likely be handled more efficiently by technology.

But don’t worry. Humans still have a unique advantage: a new set of skills ideally suited for navigating the unpredictability of the real world.

The human edge is everything that AI and automation can’t do that people can. It’s the ability to perform skills like thinking critically, feeling and expressing empathy, and being creative and original.

Often, we call these soft skills. But in a modern workplace, these skills are critical and powerful. They help organizations build culture, nurture and grow relationships, and innovate. And these skills will likely continue to be valuable even as technology continues to advance.

Let’s dig into them.

Creativity

AI can spit out ideas based on past or trained data. It can remix existing content. But what it can’t do is think outside the box to come up with fresh ideas and concepts. It can generate content, ideas, or designs, but these often are generic or formulaic and seem to fall a bit flat. The originality, emotional context, and nuance that bring an idea to life must come from a person. Someone who can take what’s on a page and make it come alive.

Consider how you tailor strategies or presentations for a variety of audiences. AI can help outline the basic approach, but it takes your humanness to personalize it. Each organization, customer, or audience is unique, with their own culture, expectations, work style, or approach to receiving messages. That’s where human creativity adds tremendous value.

Creativity tends to flourish when you allow yourself to explore, be curious, and work through different versions and problems. And this can be lost if you rely too heavily on technology to think for you.

Human connection

One of the biggest challenges in today’s digital era is staying human. Between screen time, remote work, and being exposed to AI-generated everything, it’s easy to lose touch with the people side of work.

But traits and skills like empathy, relationship building, and emotional intelligence are key drivers of success.

Human connection is what brings people to a business. It builds trust between a leader and their team. It helps your colleagues and clients feel heard and valued. It provides that sense of camaraderie with teammates and those working around you. These are things that a machine can’t replicate.

And best of all, you can start using these skills today. Simply ask a colleague how they’re doing, practice active listening, or create a safe environment for your team to share ideas.